Wine Advisor
Cheval Blanc 1988
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Description
Château Cheval Blanc, a 1er Grand Cru Classé (A) is unquestionably the leading estate in St. Emilion. It is located in the north-west of the St. Emilion appellation, bordering Pomerol. Cheval Blanc obtained its first medal at the 1862 Universal Exhibition in London. In fact, a representation of this bronze medal is found on the château’s present-day label. Cheval Blanc won their first gold medal at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris, and this new distinction also appeared on the label. In 1886, Cheval Blanc won a second gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in Antwerp. Reflecting this series of successes and a wine well on the way to achieving international recognition, a château was built on the estate.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Cheval Blanc dinner at The Ledbury. An ex-chateau bottle that Pierre Lurton compares to the 2008. There is a strictness and linearity to the nose that is in tune with the growing season, completely the opposite of the gregarious ’89. Blackberry, freshly rolled tobacco and blackberry leaf, later a hint of wet clay. The palate is very smooth and harmonious, very focused with steely, almost brittle tannins, the finish very fresh but short and terse. On its own, it comes across a little serious, but with dinner it sings. Drink now-2018. Tasted November 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1988 is more structured, less alcoholic and less intense than the 1989. It exhibits fine ripeness, and a cool, almost menthol, plummy bouquet intertwined with aromas of smoke and new oak. In the mouth, there are some aggressive tannins, but it does not possess the sheer drama of the 1989. It is a very good Cheval Blanc, but having tasted it numerous times in cask and bottle, I had expected it to be more impressive than it appears to be. Anticipated maturity: 1994-2005. Last tasted, 6/93.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted in Southwold, the Cheval Blanc 1988 is what you might call a "solid" Saint Emilion, one that has plateaued in recent years. The nose is quite backward considering its age and demands encouragement, gradually unfurling to reveal dark berries, sage, mint and cigar box aromas that lean towards the Left Bank. The palate is medium-bodied with quite rigid tannins. Fortunately there is sufficient fruit to back it up and then it eases back towards a languid, mushroom-tinged finish. Very fine. Tasted February 2014.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1988 Cheval Blanc exhibits fine ripeness, and a cool, almost menthol, plummy bouquet intertwined with aromas of smoke, tobacco, and new oak. In the mouth, there are some aggressive tannins, but the wine does not possess the depth one expects from renowned estates. It is a very good Cheval Blanc, but I had expected more. Anticipated maturity: Now-2002.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A very healthy dark ruby color that shows only a slight lightening at the edge, this wine shows sweet earth notes intermixed with ripe berry fruit, cassis, licorice, and leather. The wine is spicy, medium-bodied, with a moderately tannic finish that is not likely to fully age out. Anticipated maturity: Now-2014. Last tasted, 12/02.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(40 h/h; 12.5% alcohol): Bright red. Very pure floral nose with enticing aromas of redcurrant, violet, minerals, licorice, lead pencil and coffee: very cabernet franc! Then linear, pure and juicy, with pristine flavors of red berries, dark plum, minerals and coffee. This midweight finishes clean and smoothly tannic, offering amazing balance and an impression of seamlessness on the long, very floral finish. As much as I like its pure aromas and flavors, I find this Cheval Blanc lacks a little density for an even higher score. This was an overall dry and cool year, with some rain present only in the first part of the year, which caused some mildew pressure. The dry conditions started at the end of July and never really let up; from July to September, there was less than two inches of rain. Flowering was late, taking place on June 10, and veraison on August 20. Harvested during the first ten days of October.
About the Producer
Château Cheval Blanc is a highly lauded wine estate in the Saint-Émilion region of northeast Bordeaux. Classified with the top ranking of Premier Grand Cru Classé A, it is regarded by many as one of the greatest wines of the appellation – if not, the greatest. It is certainly the most famous Cabernet Franc-based wine in the world, albeit often alongside very similar levels of Merlot. Typically, the "grand vin" (the estate's eponymous wine) is lush and full bodied with great weight of fruit. It tends to require ten years of bottle age and the best vintages can last half a century or more. The second wine of the estate is Le Petit Cheval. The vineyard is located in the northwest of the region, bordering Pomerol (La Conseillante is a neighbor) and consists of 39 hectares (96 acres) divided into 45 plots. There is an unusually large amount of Cabernet Franc planted – about 49 percent – with 47 percent Merlot and four percent Cabernet Sauvignon. The unusual planting proportions reflect the terroir; most vineyards in the region are either clay or gravel-based over impermeable sedimentary rock, but Cheval Blanc is unique in having a patchwork of soils with the two types in roughly equal proportions. The clay soils provide base wines with velvety tannins, while those from gravel soils are more aromatic and elegant. Vines have been grown since the 14th Century at this spot but the vineyard as it is known today took shape in the 19th Century when the core plots were added to by purchases from the nearby Figeac estate. Subsequent replantings established the atypical half-Merlot, half-Cabernet Franc proportions. Cheval Blanc gained its first medal at the 1862 Universal Exhibition in London – the first of a series of successes building its reputation and achieving price levels comparable to the Médoc first growths, which paved the way for a château to be built on the estate. In the first classification of Saint-Émilion wines in 1955, Cheval Blanc was awarded the highest possible rating and remains a Premier Grand Cru Classé A. In 1998, after 166 years of continuous family ownership, Bernard Arnault, the head of luxury goods firm LVMH, and the late Baron Albert Frère (a Belgian billionaire investor) jointly purchased the estate. The spectacular new cellar opened in 2011, with 52 concrete vats (replacing stainless steel) of differing sizes corresponding to different vineyard plots. The grand vin spends 16 to 18 months in new oak barrels from a variety of cooperages.
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